Suddenly, the atmosphere froze. Netero's fingers paused mid-air, unable to move further.
"Old man, no need to leave so early, right?" came a voice Netero knew all too well.
In an instant, Netero vanished, leaving the stillness behind.
The Ant King, who had just leapt back a few steps, looked around suspiciously. 'Why had Netero disappeared so suddenly?'
Then, from the other side, several figures appeared out of nowhere. There was Netero, slumped between them, unable to move. Netero's eyes fell on the vibrant pink aura enveloping his body. He was under control.
Using her psychic ability, Nen, Gardevoir blocked Netero from plunging his fingers into his own chest. The sudden interruption caused the intense malice radiating from Netero to fade away, leaving him unable to continue.
With a faint sigh, Netero glanced at Larry, who was holding his chest beside him. He no longer had the strength to even speak.
Larry chuckled softly and said, "President, you still want to stay young forever. I remember that, so I will not let you die."
Those words stirred memories in Netero's mind. He knew exactly what Larry meant.
When he had first met Neferpitou, he had confessed his fear of growing old, and surprisingly, Larry had not forgotten.
Nearby, Ging, hands in his pockets, watched Netero, who now looked like a mummy. His expression grew serious. He had just witnessed
Netero's Type Zero ability, and even that terrifying power seemed insufficient to handle the situation. Yet, despite all this, the Ant King remained calm and composed.
Ging realized this was the most frightening enemy he had ever encountered.
Beyond the Ant King's immense strength, the malice emanating from Netero had driven him into a frozen, despairing state, like countless thoughts of death compressed into one hellish moment centered around him.
Ging's eyes flickered as he tried to grasp the meaning behind Netero's malice.
"Old man, what you did just now, were you trying to trigger something?" he asked.
"If you are holding a trump card, it has to be incredibly powerful. More powerful than your Type Zero, at least." He continued, "And the fact that you placed it not just anywhere but right over your heart, that reminds me of something forbidden for a long time: the miniature rose."
Ging stared at Netero intently, as if he could see through his body straight to the square device embedded in his chest.
This so-called miniature rose was a device easy to make once you mastered the technique, often used in large-scale wars because of its simplicity and effectiveness.
One of the most common uses of this technique was surgically implanting a box near a person's heart, turning them into a human bomb capable of threatening enemies.
What set the miniature rose apart from other bombs was not its explosive power, but the deadly toxin it released. When it detonated, it created an explosion cloud shaped like a blooming rose, spreading lethal poison rapidly over a wide area.
This toxin could devastate countless miles around, turning the place into a death zone where no one could survive. Because of its destructive effects, the miniature rose was eventually banned by many countries.
"Yeah, that's it," Netero said with a slight nod, confirming what the three of them already understood. This made it clear he had been ready to die alongside them.
Netero had expected Larry to show up, but never imagined Ging would be there. He suspected Larry had brought him along.
Larry looked at the frail, thin Netero, and as the thought crossed his mind, Happiny appeared in front of him.
Happiny stood before Netero like a comforting presence, its eyes full of sympathy and a quiet determination to heal him. Its voice softened with concern, and pure aura gathered swiftly in the pouch it carried.
The egg began to glow softly, casting gentle light over Netero's body and illuminating the darkness in his eyes. This was the general skill known as Egg Laying.
While Happiny prepared to help, Larry reflected on what Netero had just revealed. Hearing it firsthand felt entirely different from watching it back on Earth.
Even then, Larry had admired how Togashi, had handled this part of the story so well. Netero's passing had been sad, but the final act involving the miniature rose was a perfect ending.
Among all the typical explosive seeds used to win battles, President Netero's choice of the miniature rose stood out. Instead of defeating the Ant King purely through human strength, winning through technology added a unique layer of satisfaction.
Larry believed this was Togashi's message: human strength is important, but the power of technology should never be underestimated.
The development of different technologies reflects human intelligence and is also a key part of our overall "strength."
Using the [Poor Man's Rose] to defeat the Ant King, rather than fighting him alone, better showcases humanity's collective strength.
This idea ties directly to Netero's words, "I never fight alone."
The Ant King thrives by harnessing the power of groups, but humans counter that with the wisdom developed over centuries.
Whenever a threat challenges mankind, people draw on this accumulated knowledge to overcome it.
Throughout history, humanity has made progress by facing hardships head-on and repelling invasions.
What remains unshaken is the human spirit, an endless drive to keep pushing forward.
This relentless determination is like a deep-rooted force that has evolved over time.
While Netero was lost in thought, Happiny pulled out one of his own eggs, brimming with a strong life aura.
Just a single whiff made Netero feel refreshed, as if some of his strength was returning.
"Can you really save me?" Netero asked skeptically.
Up until now, he had fought with the mindset that he wouldn't survive, let alone heal.
The fact that Larry had treated him once already made Netero doubt this new recovery even more.
Happiny, worried, held the egg up to Netero's mouth.
Netero was so weak he could barely speak.
Happiny squeezed the egg tightly, releasing a powerful surge of thought aura that spread out like a glowing galaxy, flowing directly into Netero.
"What is this?!" Netero gasped, feeling his body change dramatically.
Not only Netero, but also Larry, Ging, and even the distant Ant King watched in astonishment.
The Ant King instinctively clenched his fists, shouting, "How is this possible?!" as he witnessed Netero's rapid transformation.
Once as thin and frail as a dead tree, Netero's limbs quickly filled out, his face regained color, wrinkles faded, and his sunken eyes returned to normal.
Like a withered tree blooming in spring, Netero was restoring himself to the way he looked before using Type Zero.
Seeing that the healing from the first egg was almost complete, Happiny quickly gave Netero another one.
The "laying eggs" technique could restore half of Netero's health in one go, accelerating his recovery even further.
After using [Soft-Boiled] twice in a row, Netero recovered to his original state in just a few breaths!
Even more impressive, his aura was completely full, just like before his battle with the Ant King.
"This is nothing short of a miracle!" Netero exclaimed, raising his hands to examine his body carefully.
He could hardly believe what he was seeing, but the surge of power radiating from him left no doubt, this was real.
Netero had lived for over a hundred years, and this was the first time he had experienced something like this.